DANCIN Vineyards is located in Rogue Valley just minutes from Ashland, Medford, and Jacksonville, making their Medford winery and tasting room a convenient beacon amongst travelers and locals who seek good wine.

This Southern Oregon vineyard is known for its Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Barbera, Sangiovese, Syrah, Zinfandel, and Port-style wine. 

They craft award-winning wines for you to enjoy. Some popular wines are the 'Assemblage' Chardonnay, 'En Croix' Chardonnay, 'Pas de Chat' Pinot Noir, 'Encore!' Pinot Noir, and more. Visit DANCIN Vineyards website for more details. Drink your wine in the sun or sit in the shade. No matter where you sit, savor the beauty, atmosphere, and location. It's a great community hub whether you're visiting from out of town or if you're a local. You can make reservations ahead of time or just pop in. 

DANCIN Vineyards Address: 4477 S Stage Rd, Medford, OR 97501

Medford & Southern Oregon Wineries

Explore the theaters, brewpubs, wineries, and cuisine in Medford, Oregon. The city of Medford is home to Craterian Theater, Prescott Park, Roxy Ann Peak, and more outdoor gems. You can spend a lot of time outdoors in Southern Oregon's forested foothills, enjoying fishing, hiking, and rafting. Check out the Visit Medford website to learn more about the area. 

But I know why you're here, and that's for the wine. I get it. When I visited DANCIN Vineyard, it was in the middle of a pretty brutal heatwave in the area, around 113° Fahrenheit. Phewie. Shade, water, air conditioning, sunglasses, hat, and sunscreen were my best friends. I visited DANCIN Vineyards and Rellik Winery (which I reviewed on Yelp).

DANCIN Vineyards Tasting Room

DANCIN Winery in the Rogue Valley has a solid food menu with appetizers, artisan pizzas and flatbreads, salads, and desserts. I was there during a heatwave and they have a bunch of shade as well as misters to try their best to keep people cool. You can enjoy perfect views of the vineyard and hills of Southern Oregon. You'll love the outdoor experience with the occasional bee floating past you as the wind ruffles through the vines.  They are dog-friendly so you can bring your pupperoni too. Eat food, sip wine, and enjoy the wine tasting experience. 

DANCIN Vineyards Menu

This is the link to their menu on their website.  I had the beet salad, which I couldn't find online on their menu, so that might've been a seasonal item. DANCIN Winery has artisan pizzas and flatbreads. You can get gluten-free crust for an additional fee. The Brie & Berries Pizza sounds phenomenal with olive oil, Pennington Farms blackberries, brie, crispy bacon, toasted pecans, and a sprinkle of green onion. They offer bites like stuffed mushrooms, bacon-wrapped dates, shishito peppers, and even a bread and balsamic vinegar situation. There are salads such as Caesar salad, green leaf salad, and Caprese salad. Don't forget the dessert! S'mores, panna cotta, sgroppino, port wine, and more.

Wine Flight

I ordered a wine flight, which allows you to pick five of their wines to sample. Wine flights are the ideal option if you don't want to commit to one wine. Try a few first! They also have some local beers if you prefer. I had a wonderful, peaceful experience in the warm summer afternoon in Medford.

DANCIN Winery Hours

Membership

Back at it again with another round of small business gift guide! There are countless brands out there creating wonderful products that could make the perfect gift for you or someone who know. These businesses are innovative, fresh, and waiting for you to discover them. Small businesses of the 21st to have attention to detail, whether it's with their branding, ingredients, or mission! Let's go window shopping! 

La Parea Wellness

La Parea Wellness has a range of plant-based aromatherapy products for mind, body, and soul! The shop has items like all-natural candles (which can double as a body oil), tranquility mist, and herbal bath salt soak meant to leave you feeling peaceful and relaxed. Founded by Samanta Moise, with a background as a nurse, La Parea Wellness pays attention to ingredients by using both traditional and innovative recipes. The Beach Day candle smells like a soothing tropical beach vacation.

PediPocket

I use my PediPocket on a daily basis. It's a fleece blanket with a foot pocket. I take mine outside on the patio with me for my morning tea. I use it while I sit on the couch to watch TV. It has the PediPocket signature nook for your feet so you don't have to flail around to create a burrito to warm your toes. There are ones for both kids and adults, and they come in a range of colors and patterns (from plaid to paisley to red to blue).

Flax4Life

Brownies, muffins, cookies, oh my. I also featured Flax4Life in a previous gift guide, they're a family-owned & operated bakery that has been making tasty gluten-free products for over 20 years. They have a new line of cookies in flavors like Ginger Snap, Chocolate Chip, and Lemon Zest. I was most surprised by the Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. I'm not usually an oatmeal raisin fan but these were incredible and had me coming back for more. The mini choco brownies are scrumptious too.

Kombucha Town

I love trying new-to-me drinks and beverages. There are so many excellent brands and fascinating flavors out there. Kombucha Town's Live Seltzers contain shelf-stable live probiotics. They are USDA organic, non-GMO, and fair-trade certified. These refreshing kombucha seltzers come in Grapefruit, Ginger Energy, and Cucumber flavors. I Ginger Energy has a tasty zing to it! Kombucha Town Live Selzters are non-alcoholic, rich in antioxidants, amino acids, minerals, and good bacteria. 

Nature's Beauty

You can find this plant-based line of cruelty-free bath and body care products at Walgreens throughout the US. Nature’s Beauty is clean, vegan, and made in the USA woot woot. Nature’s Beauty products are priced between $8.99 and $13.99, making it an affordable option for those on the hunt for clean bath and body wash, body scrub, body butter, body lotion, and bath bombs to boot.

Sometimes getting yourself a little gift is good for the soul, makes you feel good, taken care of. 

There are plenty of fun things to do with your friends at home. It doesn't have to be a big, expensive shindig. Do it your way and it can still be cool! Integrate your personality and your friends into the party. Ask them ahead of time if they have any suggestions on what they want to do: play card games, watch a few movies, create a scavenger hunt. You could even have a slumber party or sleepover - click here for ideas on what to do.

Fun Things to Do with Friends at Home

Stuck at home? Invite a friend over and you can use this as a bucket list to get creative and check off as many things as possible! There are plenty of alternative ideas to choose from. This list is geared toward adults but you can modify many ideas for a kid's party or gathering.

You can take as many or as few of these awesome ideas as you want. Many of these are free but some require little planning, driving, or purchasing. For example, in order to watch Netflix, someone has to have a Netflix account, you get the idea.

Try kombucha, read a book, and hang out in the backyard.

1. Play records, cassettes, CDs, whatever you've got. 
2. Have a karaoke night.
3. Snap photos. Download a cool photo app like Huji so it feels like you're taking real photos. Take turns taking photos of each other!
4. Paint. Let the art flow through you. Use watercolors, fingerpaints, whatever you have available. Or you can take a friend group trip to your local Michaels or the craft store to pick up supplies. Paint and let your imagination soar. Use can use recycled paper or cardboard to paint on.
5. Finger paint. It's tons of fun!
6. Draw self-portraits of yourselves.
7. Draw each other.
8. Draw each other with your eyes closed!
9. Craft something. Knit, crochet, collage, scrapbook, etc.
10. Do a virtual art tour or museum tour. Visit the Louvre online tour or Boston Children's Museum via online tour.
11. Conduct a science experiment. 
12. Fill in a coloring book. You can use colored pencils, markers, or Crayons.
13. Create a Spotify or YouTube playlist of songs. That way you can learn a little bit about each other's music taste.
14. Create a vision board and let your creative juices flow.
15. Film a TikTok video or TikTok dance.
16. Solve an online escape room.
17. Do a taste test challenge to guess the food or brand. For example you could test out different kinds of orange soda, different kinds of cheese, etc.
18. Bake and decorate cookies. There are so many awesome designs to create from Frankenstein to Pacman to a truck to a book.
19. Make pizza. You can buy pizza dough, pizza sauce, cheese, and toppings and bake your own creations at home. My sister and I used to do this with our friends at home. It was so fun!
20. Grab takeout food from a local restaurant and eat dinner in the backyard.
21. BBQ night. Barbeque some veggies and meats.
22. Host a dessert night. Each person brings a different dessert.
23. Dinner night. Each person brings a dish they eat a lot at home.
24. Dip night. Each person brings a different homemade dip (queso dip, spinach and artichoke dip, hummus, etc).
25. Drink night. Each person brings a different cocktail or mocktail or fun drink.
26. Host a beer or wine tasting, each person brings a different type of beer/wine.
27. Try kombucha, sparkling waters, or some beverage of choice.
28. Try a new recipe using ingredients you have at home. Google one or use a recipe book.
29. Make ice cream sundaes.
30. Make ice cream in a bag.
31. Try different foods or snacks from around the world.
32. Favorite movie night. You can view one of each of your favorite movies.
33. Award-winning movie night. Whether it's an Academy Award, Golden Globe Awards, Visual Effects Society Awards, pick an award you want to focus on & watch a few movies that won.
34. Nostalgia kids movie night. Watch movies that you saw as kids. It'll bring back quality memories! You could spend hours watching your faves.
35. Watch scary movies.
36. Watch a movie series (Lord of the Rings, Back to the Future, Twilight, Harry Potter, Pirates of the Caribbean, Shrek you get the drift).
37. Watch a short-ish TV series (Twin Peaks, Schitts Creek, Pushing Daisies, Lie to Me, etc.)
38. Watch a sporting event on TV. Depends on the season or if you can catch something on TV, perhaps something live streaming on Hulu, etc.
39. Join a Livestream.
40. Host a sleepover. Have your best friends spend the night. You can watch movies, play board games or games like Heads Up on your phone.
41. Pool party. If you have a pool, use it. It'll be refreshing in the summer and for hot days too.
42. Bored of watching TV? Tell scary stories. Take turns telling your scariest story. Bonus points if it's real!!!
43. Have a dance party.
44. Have a costume party.
45. Hosta tea party.
46. Spa day. Take care of your skin, do face masks, you could even make body scrub at home.
47. Read a book together. Take turns reading paragraphs/pages.
48. Start a book club.
49. Talk about your goals.
50. Go around and discuss the stories of how you first met.
51. Challenge each other with video games.
52. Listen to an audiobook.
53. Listen to a podcast series.
54. Rearrange the furniture so it feels like a totally new vibe.
55. Call or FaceTime a long-distance friend who couldn't be there.
56. Hungry? Call in an order for food delivery.
57. Host a clothing swap where each person brings some clothes, shoes, accessories that they don't want anymore.
58. Make slime.
59. Make a scavenger hunt.
60. Make friendship bracelets.
61. Make a flower arrangement.
62. Write letters to each other.
63. Write letters to your future selves.
64. Write a short story by each writing one sentence. Write one sentence, then the next friend writes a sentence, and then you keep going back and forth between however many friends are over.
65. Practice writing with your non-dominate hands.
66. See if you can decipher each other's notes created with the non-dominant hand.
67. Tie-dye t-shirts (or socks, shorts, sheets, the sky is the limit).
68. Stretch out to a yoga video on YouTube.
69. Meditate. You can do a guided meditation on YouTube or download an app for it.
70. Practice mindfulness.
71. Listen to ASMR videos on YouTube.
72. Build a fort.
73. Do a puzzle. Puzzles are a perfect way to liven the mood with little effort.
74. Do a crossword puzzle.
75. Do an online workout video.
76. Band night. Jam together and play music with whatever instruments you have, tambourine, keyboard, bongo.
77. Play truth or dare.
78. Play Simon Says.
79. Try playing 20 questions.
80. Try playing Rock Paper Scissors.
81. Do a round hangman.
82. Play tic tac toe.
83. Play Monopoly.
84. Have fun with the game of Life.
85. Play a card game. Poker, rummy, go fish, war, etc.
86. Play Telephone.
87. Try a game of charades.
88. Play I Spy.
89. Play Cards Against Humanity.
90. Play a board game.
91. Invent your own board game or game.
92. Play an indoor mini version of basketball, badminton, tennis, soccer, football, handball, baseball.
93. Play a murder mystery game. You could find an app or buy something online beforehand.
94. Do the 5 Senses game where you each say what you can See, Hear, Smell, Taste, Touch. It's pretty fun, almost meditating in a way and great way to calm down or slow down after a long day.
95. Learn some cool magic tricks.
96. Challenge yourselves and learn a language (you could use Duolingo or a free app).
97. Plan a future trip.
98. Book a future trip.
99. Set up a tent and do indoor camping. 
100. Do outdoor camping. Camp in the backyard or garden.
101. Do a water balloon fight outside or in the yard.
102. Pot some plants or flowers. Each person can take home a small potted plant or succulent.
103. Hang out in the backyard and set up a self-hanging hammock stand to relax.
104. Catch up and just hang out. Enjoy the night!
105. Enjoy the sunset.
106. Enjoy the sunrise.
107. Watch the clouds.
108. Stargaze.

Make a flower arrangement.

Enjoy the sunset.

You and your friends will have an absolute blast in the night to remember. The great news is there are fun things to do with friends at home in the morning, the afternoon, or at night, it doesn't always have to be a sleepover or evening activity. You can have fun in the morning experience as well all while making it a budget-friendly or even free process. 

What can you do with your friends at home? 

You and your friends can have a great time at home. Want to make it a fun night? Dig deep within yourself and identify what you actually like to do. There are a lot of fun things to do with friends at home for kids, teens, and adults alike. Teenagers might appreciate movie night, sleepovers, makeovers, a home spa day, a pool day, cooking or baking something fun like rainbow cake, video games, making TikTok videos, home indoor picnic.

What do 13-year-olds do at home with friends? 

Look through these exciting activities with your friends. That way you can determine what works best for your family. In some cases, you might have to get something if you don't already own it (games like Life or Monopoly, access to movies, DVDs or streaming services, etc.) Ask your parents or see if your friends have them at their house to bring them over; it could be a potluck but for parties and everyone brings something different. There's anything that you're not sure about or if they're some supplies you want to pick up, ask your parents.

What do you do with your best friend? 

If you are bored at home there are plenty of ideas to have a cool night.  Invite your best friend over and do as many things on this list as you can. You can do fun things with friends without spending a lot of money. From having a picnic in the garden to cooking your favorite comfort food to blasting music on your iPhone, you can create an amazing experience without having to spend a load of money.

What can a teenage girl do when bored at home?

There is a lot for girls to do at home. You can read a book or listen to podcasts. There are so many podcasts about unique subjects you might be interested in and maybe even about your favorite shows or movies to learn more about behind-the-scenes. You can write. Get your brain moving and grooving and do a crossword puzzle. No matter what you decide to do, you and your friends will make memories and have a great time. 

Each step of the Oceanside Pier of California has entertaining things to see. From fishing to enjoying the scenery, the O'Side Pier is a great place to spend a fun day with family or friends. You're likely to make real memories to last for years to come. You just can't visit without walking the longest wooden pier on the West Coast at least once!

Spend the night near the coast. Dig your feet in the sand. Listen to the waves crash and savor the nature that surrounds Oceanside. Oceanside is a beautiful area to get away for a bit. Stare at the water, enjoy the sun, search for a sport to play, catch fish, and savor the sandy beach.

Scroll down to learn about the history of the pier, the restaurant at the end of the pier, what you can do, places to eat, and where to shop nearby!

* This post has been updated as of September 2022

History of the Oceanside Pier

The historic Oceanside Pier was originally proposed in 1887. At the time the pier was called a wharf. It went through a lot of trials and tribulations, suffering irreparable damage from a storm in 1890. Over the past 100+ years, there have been 6 iterations of the pier. The current pier is 1,942 feet long and was dedicated in 1987. It remains one of the most popular things to do in Oceanside, CA.

The pier is located in the city of Oceanside, California which is just north of San Diego. You can walk on this long, beautiful pier to get a great view of Oceanside. If you're coming to town, be sure to give it a stroll. 

Address location: Pier, Oceanside, CA 92054 at the cross-section of Pacific St. and Pier View Way

Hours: Closes at 10 p.m.

Total length: 1,954 feet (596 m) 

Opening date: 1888

Oceanside CA North County San Diego

You can't visit the city of Oceanside, California without walking the Oceanside Fishing Pier. This is one of the most classic things to do in Oceanside. The Oceanside Pier is popular amongst both locals and tourists. You can watch folks fishing or watch surfers pretty much anytime you're there.

Related reading: Encinitas Coffee Shops: Searching for the Best Coffee in Town

Ruby's Diner

You used to be able to eat at Ruby's Diner at the end of the pier; Ruby's was a 40s-style diner with American classics like fries, burgers, and milkshakes, but it has since closed. Unfortunately. It was such a perfect spot! 

As of April 2022, a sign went up to say something new will be opening soon! There's a new restaurant coming to the Oceanside Pier. Stay tuned.

Restaurants Near Oceanside Pier

Hungry for a meal? There are dining options close to the pier.

- 333 Pacific

- Hello Betty

- Camp Coffee Company

- Harni Sushi - Oceanside 

- Miss Kim’s by That Boy Good 

- Banana Dang Coffee

Fishing

Leisurely stroll your way through to the end of the pier to look out on the Pacific Ocean. While you're strolling the pier, enjoy the wildlife. I've seen a sea lion, a seal, pelicans (on separate occasions not all at once although that would be cool), and of course tons of seagulls and pigeons. I saw some dolphins from afar. The pelicans are known for frequenting the pier especially since they can get some free fish. You might be lucky enough to see the pelican(s) and get a photo or two; they're not always there but they're there pretty often. 

Shopping

Oceanside Pier has a small bait shop on it where you can get some convenience items and snacks. There are also restrooms if you need to use them. There're benches placed occasionally along the way if you want to rest or take in the scenery. There are also some shops, vendors, food stands, and picnic tables at the bottom of the pier before you walk on. Since the pier is located in Oceanside 92054 at the cross-section of Pacific St. and Pier View Way, there are plenty of local restaurants nearby to dine at or pick up some food to eat at the beach! 

Beachcombing and Walking

The best way to get to know a city is by walking it. Oceanside literally hugs the coast. It's an idyllic spot. I like going for walks and checking out the shoreline. Downtown Oceanside is nearby. Southern California has a lot of beautiful places to visit. No matter what month you visit, from December to summer months like June or August, you'll love the nice weather at Oceanside Pier. There's even a beach amphitheater so you just may catch a band or someone performing. There are concerts there often.

Sunset Views

The historic Oceanside Pier is one of the longest piers in California at 1,942 feet in length and is the longest wooden pier in California. If you enjoy the outdoors and just want to walk around with a beach view, this is a great spot! Plus, it's free, so you can't go wrong there. No matter your favorite place to visit in the city of Oceanside, make sure you add this one for a lovely pier view. Come for a Pacific Ocean sunset as you enjoy a fun day on the coast. The Oceanside Pier is a perfect place to end the day. It's actually open until 10 p.m.

Oceanside Harbor

Oceanside Harbor is around 1.5 miles away from Oceanside Fishing Pier, which should be a 10-minute drive depending on traffic. There are kayak rentals and other fun stuff to do over there. You can ride your bike across the area! Read about the Oceanside Harbor restaurants.

When you visit, go to the beach in Oceanside, maybe a couple beaches. There are things to do at any time of day. You walk directly to Oceanside Pier from the beach and then stroll along the coast. Tyson Street Park is nearby within walking distance. You can go surfing the waves, swimming, or hang out on the beach. Spend the day like local residents, enjoying a casual beach day. It's beautiful morning, noon, night, whenever you come.

How much is parking at Oceanside Beach?

Parking in Oceanside is fairly affordable and there is plenty of metered parking. You can find free street parking as well as one free parking garage. If street parking isn't available by the time you arrive, consider using pay lots out of convenience. No matter where you park, read all signs in the parking lots carefully as parking restrictions are subject to change at any time. There are parking lots such as Oceanside Pier & Beaches Lot 28 Parking lot (351 The Strand N), Oceanside Pier & Beaches Lot 30 (Betty's Lot) Parking lot (101 The Strand N), Oceanside Pier & Beaches Lot 21 Parking lot (214 Surfrider Way), and more.

Are there any beach restaurants in Oceanside? What are the best places to eat in Oceanside?

While there aren't any restaurants directly on the beach, there are some close to shore. Definitely within walking distance and of course more if you drive the coast. Things to Do in Oceanside, California: Restaurants, Coffee Shops, What to See! Oceanside, California is a city with a rich cultural heritage, natural beauty, and outdoor adventure located in North County San Diego. For residents and tourists alike, Oceanside boasts an array of activities. Of course, you can head south to San Diego too.

Soak in the amazing scenery of the Pacific Ocean or watch a surf competition as you stroll your way to the end of the pier. Eat at a restaurant, grab a craft beer, and enjoy the view from San Diego's iconic landmark. There are plenty of events that occur throughout the year so you can check the Oceanside Welcome Center or browse online! They even have surf competitions.

Related reading: 

Coffee Shops in Carlsbad, California

Things to Do in North County San Diego, California